Tucked into the North Georgia hillside are dozens of fairy houses, sized for the smallest, daintiest fairies to the tallest, proudest dwarves. Dubbed Whimsical Fairy Gardens, the spellbinding estates live up to the name.more

My wife, Lori, and I have always loved camping. From the time we met as students at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, we have been known to just throw our camping stuff in a vehicle or on our back and take to the woods.more

With June here, let’s wander the shelves and pick over some travel books. Whether you are living in Western North Carolina or just visiting, here is a smorgasbord of guidebooks that should enrich your explorations.more

Black Mountain is a magnet for arts and culture, a playground for outdoor adventure, a utopia for shopping and browsing, and a feast for culinary pallets. Whether you’re a loafer or explorer, Black Mountain is a destination that does it all.more

With a new year comes new resolutions. Whether you hope to hike more or stress less, eat better or give back, Smoky Mountain Living offers an only-in-Southern-Appalachia guide to making 2017 your best year yet.more

Undulating through forests and farmland in what the Cherokee called the “Great Blue Hills of God,” the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway (SC Highway 11) crosses the Blue Ridge Escarpment from Gaffney to Fair Play, South Carolina.more

On a sunny day in mid-March, the hardwood trees lining Highway 197 in northeast Georgia reveal only the smallest of green buds, while cherry blossoms blush pale pink and forsythias herald spring in vivid bursts of yellow on the edges of the road.more

It may not come as a surprise that the oldest town in Tennessee would also be a hotbed for storytelling. Jonesborough’s National Storytelling Festival, an annual event that began with 60 attendees in 1973, now attracts more than 10,000 guests.more

As we headed into the historic seat of Madison County—a winding descent that passed through thick trees, old vehicles, farmhouses, and a lone blue “Bernie” sign—the murmur of three centuries was almost audible.more

After a long and successful career as co-owner of a graphic design firm in Atlanta, Steve Martin was ready for a change. His sleek high-rise condo, BMW, and fast-paced urban life had lost much of their appeal.more

In the early 19th century, before making the arduous journey across the Blue Ridge, South Carolinians would rest and restock on commodities in the Upstate stopover that became known as Travelers Rest.more

Husband-and-wife team Tim Osment and Dawn Gilchrist explored Bryson City, North Carolina, in search of their favorite hallmarks of small-town living in Southern Appalachia—fresh coffee, smart books, and good eating.more

The old Grover’s building in downtown Brevard has a long history of providing townspeople with basic commodities, whether Chevys or filing cabinets. Louisiana-born chef Jaime Hernandez adds beignets and fried frog legs to that tradition.more

I have joked that if my journalism got someone in the region angry enough to spit, a DNA swab could prove beyond any doubt that we were cousins. That's the way it is when you count eight generations tying you to these mountains.more